Wireless devices, such as cellular telephones, Portable Digital Assistants (PDAs), wireless interfaces for laptop computers, and the like, abound in the modem computer and communications landscape both for business and personal use. A common need shared by most telephonic, e.g. cellular, wireless devices is the need for service to be provided by a service provider.
Many wireless service providers exist today such as for example, Sprint™, Verizon™, AT&T, and the like. Wireless service providers establish service zones based on the coverage areas of equipment owned or leased for use by the service provider. The greater degree of coverage, the greater the size of the service area a subscriber may travel within without being charged for “roaming”, e.g. operating in an area not serviced by the service provider.
Most modem wireless devices allow for the display of different operating conditions of the telephone based on geography and hardware conditions. For example, when “roaming” a typical wireless device may display an indication thereof to a user, or may indicate whether the user is presently operating on an analog or digital service channel. These different operating states may affect billing rates for calls and thus may provide a user with information guiding a decision to place or accept calls when roaming.
Problems arise however in that rate plans also dramatically affect the charges for a call depending on, for example, the time of day. Peak calling times, e.g. during daytime business hours, are usually charged at greater billing rates. Often times however, users are unaware or forgetful of the details of their rate plan and thus many calls are made or accepted which might otherwise be postponed until a more favorable rate time.
It would be desirable therefore in the art for a way to alert a user that peak billing charges are in effect. In this way, users can make more informed decisions regarding making or accepting calls during such periods.